1. I agree that posting links to old discussions has a chilling effect; it does for me. And it's about perception. Maybe it's all about the placement of the link, seriously. If someone responds to you with an initial, "yeah, we discussed that before," you feel shut down. But when they respond in the present, then put the link to old posts at the end of their message, it seems an optional reference, not a silencer. As I say, that's just my perception, but I don't think I'm alone.

I would agree with you and others who have posted the same sentiment. I would add that, based on Tolkien topics I have discussed over the last few decades on the Internet, there is very little that has not been discussed on one forum or another, particularly in regards to the text of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.

Even chapters discussions on various books have been repeated here. Or maybe that was on another forum. Oh well, I recall the same discussions somewhere. But that doesn't mean the material is not fresh and new to someone. You got to start somewhere, and all's well as ends better and what not. We are not all old curmudgeonly Gaffers. Please visit my blog...The Dark Elf File...a slighty skewed journal of music and literary comment, fan-fiction and interminable essays.